


Moments in between

by ladiebythesea



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Developing Relationship, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Hospitals, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Love at First Sight, M/M, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, cozy winter au, figure skater itachi, mild homophobia, nothing too graphic i promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:28:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29723511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladiebythesea/pseuds/ladiebythesea
Summary: A collection of moments showing the progression of Itachi & Shisui's relationship. Cozy/ winter/ figure skating au set in Amsterdam.
Relationships: Uchiha Itachi/Uchiha Shisui
Comments: 12
Kudos: 12





	1. Swan Song

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome :) Randomly stuck the boys in NL because I miss it badly (where my dutchies at) Enjoy!!!

_I remember the first time I saw you._

~  
_December_

“First snow of the year,” Shisui said as he walked into the kitchen in his pajamas. His mother stood by the window with a steaming cup of tea in her hands, staring out at the fresh snow blanketing the city. She looked over her shoulder at the sound of her son’s voice. 

“The lake froze. It’d be nice to go skating today,” she said with a smile. Through the window behind her, Shisui caught a glimpse of skaters weaving their way across the ice, dressed in brightly colored hats and jackets. Thin tracks from metal blades snaked over the surface. 

“I’ve outgrown my old skates by now. Plus, I figured I’d go out and get some wood for the fire anyways.” Shisui poured himself a cup of coffee and stuck two slices of bread in the toaster. 

“My sweet boy. How do we ever manage without you?” She ruffled his hair affectionately as she always did, although it had become increasingly difficult to do so now that Shisui practically towered over her. 

“You do all right,” Shisui said with a smile. ~ 

“I’ll be back in a bit,” Shisui called, fastening the clip on his hat below his chin so the ear flaps hung down securely. 

“Be careful, Shisui,” his mother called as he pulled on his snow boots and headed out the door. The sounds of cheery laughter and steel carving through ice filled Shisui’s ears as he dragged a wheelbarrow out of the shed and began trudging through the snow towards the forest. It had been ages since he’d gone skating, and although he was surely out of practice by now, the sight of others dancing across the lake sorely tempted him. He made a mental note to buy a new pair of skates before his holiday break ended. 

As he stepped into the thicket, all sound faded away save for the crunching of his boots through the snow. Not for the first time, he wondered what it was that had drawn his parents here from their native Japan. Sure, it was beautiful in the summer and a few days in the winter, but the otherwise constant dreary weather always seemed to take a toll on his sunny persona. It had never felt quite like a home to Shisui. As he tossed dried branches and dead wood into the wheelbarrow, he yearned for spring—birdsongs, fields full of blooming tulips, bike rides that didn’t numb your fingers. 

As it turned out, his father had fished out an old pair of his own skates by the time Shisui returned and practically forced his son back outside immediately. Shisui didn’t mind, and hurried back down the hill to the lake. The morning sun slid behind the clouds, making for a gray afternoon as usual. 

The crowd had thinned a bit by now as a few of the locals trudged off to find a hot drink and thaw their frozen fingers. Shisui stepped onto the ice and began gliding around the perimeter of the lake leisurely. Skating was perhaps the closest thing to time travel that Shisui had experienced—the weightless, carefree feeling of being a kid once again. It reminded him of the cream wedding dress he used to beg his mom to wear. Sure, time had passed and the fabric was worn, but she could always slip back into it and be a newlywed twenty-something for a moment. That’s what skating felt like to Shisui. 

He glanced over his shoulder as a pair of girls drifted past and his eyes came to rest on a rather striking individual. It wasn’t uncommon to spot a gifted skater around here; many of the Dutch were, although this boy certainly wasn’t a native. In fact, he seemed to be the only other person on the ice with black hair. Unlike Shisui’s though, it hung down over his shoulder blades in a tight French braid. Shisui slowed to a halt and watched with rapt attention as the boy spun in circles gracefully. 

“Out of the way, _pannenkoek_ ,” A tall blond muttered as he swept by, grazing Shisui’s shoulder. Shisui clicked his tongue, but moved aside and continued following the rounded edge of the lake. As he circled around, his eyes found the boy again, behind two powder blue puffer jackets. He felt a lingering familiarity in this stranger. As he rounded the curve of the lake, the boy glanced around, his eyes landing on Shisui for a brief moment before he looked away once again. 

“Shisui, dinner’s ready!” His father called from the kitchen. The clinking of dishes and the smell of potato soup drifted through the open doorway of his darkened room. Shisui sat by the window, his forehead pressed against the glass fogged up by his breath. The gray afternoon sky had faded to blackness, pierced by the light of a few lamps, and the ice was bare at last. With the exception of Shisui’s mysterious stranger, who had continued skating into the night. It was haunting, like a swan song, the way he bled across the ice so elegantly, his only audience the darkness around him. 

“Shisui!” 

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” he murmured, dragging himself away from the window. ~ 

It took quite a bit to rattle Shisui ordinarily, yet here he stood in the snow, his insides practically shaking with nerves. Only a day had passed since he’d first seen the mysterious skater, but he figured it was better to shoot his shot while he had the chance. He felt like a fish caught on a line, hopelessly charmed, yet superfluous to his captor. Perhaps he was getting ahead of himself. He braced himself as the boy drew closer and stepped off the ice. 

“Excuse me.” The boy turned around to look at him. He was even more beautiful up close, all sharp black eyes and curling lashes and soft, rounded edges. Shisui’s heart hammered faster. He was fully aware of his almost unhealthy infatuation with this stranger, yet he was blatantly unashamed of it. 

“Yes?” The boy stared at him warily. 

“You skate beautifully.” Shisui truly had no idea what else to say, but relief washed over him as the boy’s face softened a bit. 

“Thank you.” He scrambled to find more words, his face burning despite the freezing weather. 

“Do you compete, by any chance?” 

“Yeah. I should probably head back out.” He looked Shisui up and down. 

“Of course.” Shisui nodded. It was quite unnerving, the way the boy seemed to silently examine him. Shisui shoved his hands in his pockets awkwardly and glanced around. 

“You’re welcome to watch if you’d like. I don’t often have an audience.” 

“I’d love to.” Shisui didn’t add that he would’ve watched whether or not he’d been invited to, and took a seat on a nearby bench as the boy ran through an all too brief routine. Shisui clapped enthusiastically as the boy gave a slight bow to his one-man audience and stepped off the ice. 

“That was incredible.” Shisui smiled radiantly. It seemed to light up the other boy’s face as well. 

“Thank you.” 

“Can I buy you a coffee?” The boy squinted at Shisui, as if trying to gage his trustworthiness based solely on his appearance. He glanced around. A small number of people milled about through the snow. 

“I need to…get home, actually,” he replied quietly. Shisui’s heart sank, but he wasn’t quite ready to throw in the towel yet. 

“Do you come by here often?” 

“No, but it’s a good skating spot.” He smiled slightly. “I’ll see you.” He hurried off without further ado. 

“Wait!” Shisui called. The boy turned. “I didn’t catch your name.” Another brief, deliberate pause. 

“Itachi.”


	2. Thawing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys have a first date

_You needed me to be patient for you._

~

_December_

Shisui found it a bit odd that Itachi had flatly refused his offer to pick him up for their date. Maybe he didn’t trust other drivers, but as promised, he met Shisui right on time at the coffeehouse. He had also vetoed Shisui’s first idea of a movie, but it was no matter. How he’d managed to even secure a date with Itachi in the first place was a wonder.  


“Hey.” Shisui glanced up and smiled brightly. A red scarf was looped around the collar of his black pea coat and his cheeks were rosy from the cold, giving him a youthful, cherub-like appearance.  


“Hi,” Itachi replied, sitting down at the wooden table. Although he had relaxed a bit since they’d first met a few days back, he still looked as if he was ready to make a run for it if the need arose. Shisui chalked it up to nerves, and they ordered a few drinks—chai for Itachi, americano for Shisui. 

After leaving the coffeehouse, they wandered up and down the street, stopping to buy _poffertjes_ from a vendor. The buoyant sounds of nearby street musicians rose above the din of the bustling city. Christmas was fast approaching. Shisui glanced around, noticing couples all around them, walking hand in hand, fingers interlocked.  


“Can I hold your hand?” Itachi, who’d been staring adoringly at a stray cat, glanced up at Shisui’s hopeful face. He mouthed wordlessly, trying to figure out the best way to politely decline without breaking Shisui’s sweet smile. The older boy seemed to get the message, though. “Too soon,” he said, although he wasn’t entirely surprised. At least now he could safely rule out the possibility of a hug or kiss without making a fool of himself. “Hey, I was wondering, have you ever done pair skating?” Itachi’s face soured and his eyes unfocused for a brief moment. Shisui pretended not to notice this.  


“I tried it. Never really connected with anyone,” he said simply. “There’s a lot of trust required on both ends.” That seemed reasonable enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beginnings are kinda slow and uneventful, but things will start picking up a lot in chapter 3! Felt like a little snippet of a first date was a necessary milestone though


	3. Lily-White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting a little too real for Itachi. The boys fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more of me projecting my problems onto fictional characters :) truly the best source of inspiration

_I know it wasn’t easy for either of us._

~

_February_

Itachi frowned to himself and rested his chin in his hands. In his head, he reanalyzed every detail of his performance while waiting impatiently for his scores. His hair was gelled back into a sleek bun full of bobby pins. 

“You skated well, Itachi. I’m glad to see you’ve been working on the things we discussed.” He glanced up as his coach, a curly-haired woman with bright red lips, sat down beside him. “Oh, your scores.” Their ears perked up as Itachi’s scores were announced over the intercom. 

“Fourth place,” Itachi said impassively. “I’ll do better next time, Kurenai.” He bowed his head. 

“I have no doubt about that. But remember, resting is part of your practice as well.” She smiled warmly at him. 

“It’s the double Axel,” he continued, shoving his hands in the pockets of his warm-up jacket as they walked out of the rink. “I blew the landing.” 

“Give it time. You picked that one up surprisingly quick.” Kurenai smiled to herself and shook her head. As a coach, she often had to be hard on her students, but Itachi had always done that himself, so much so that Kurenai’s main concern was making sure he took care of himself off the ice. “We’ll work on it more next week. After you’ve rested.” She gave him a quick pat on the shoulder and walked off, leaving Itachi to wander back to the locker room, getting lost in his head once again. This time, it was Shisui who shook him from his reverie. 

“Congratulations,” he sang, wrapping one arm around Itachi while the other cradled a bouquet of flowers. 

“Flowers? You shouldn’t have.” Itachi smiled regardless and took the bouquet from Shisui’s extended hand. “Fourth place is hardly cause for celebration.” 

“Fourth place or not, you did wonderful.” Shisui gave Itachi’s shoulder a light shake. “Is your family here?” 

“They’re out of town. Sasuke has a tournament.” Shisui frowned. Itachi’s parents never seemed to attend any of his competitions. 

“That takes priority? You had a competition too.” 

“My parents have been going to my competitions since I was a kid. Sasuke deserves their full support just as much. Even more, in fact.” Shisui shrugged, but didn’t press the matter any further. “Thank you for being here.” 

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything. Hey, what do you think about having dinner with my parents tonight?” 

“Are they okay with that?” Itachi’s eyebrows furrowed, as if the idea of having welcoming parents was entirely foreign. 

“Yeah. They’ve been bugging me to bring you over for ages.” 

“Really? Well in that case, how could I refuse?” 

“Perfect.” Shisui smiled brightly. “I won’t hold you up any longer. I’ll see you tonight. Good job.” He gave Itachi a quick hug before heading to the exit with a slight bounce in his step. A hollow feeling settled in the pit of Itachi’s stomach like a lead weight. _It’s just dinner,_ he thought, trying to calm his nerves. He poked his nose in the pastel flowers and took a deep breath. 

A small fire was crackling in the living room. Shisui’s parents had unintentionally fallen asleep in front of the tv not long after they’d finished dinner. 

“Let’s go for a walk,” Shisui said abruptly, rising from the couch. “They won’t be very good company anymore.” Itachi followed him to the front door. “Did you bring your skates?” 

“Yeah, you asked me to.” Shisui beamed and grabbed his own from the closet. 

“I know you’ve met your skating quota for the week already, but if you’re up for it…,” he trailed off hopefully. Itachi nodded, returning Shisui’s smile, and they headed out into the cold night. 

“What does skating feel like to you?” Shisui asked curiously as they stepped on the ice. He fitted his hand in Itachi’s and they began gliding slowly across the surface. “I always thought it felt like time travel. That sounds a bit dumb, though.” 

“No, it doesn’t. It’s lovely.” Itachi pondered for a moment before adding, “treading water.” 

“Skating? It’s like treading water to you? How so?” Itachi shrugged. 

“It’s somewhat alleviating, I guess.” Shisui glanced over, half hoping for more of an explanation, but Itachi had nothing else to share. After a moment, he slipped his hand out of Shisui’s and skated a few circles around him. 

“God, I love you,” Shisui murmured as he watched. 

“What?” Itachi skidded to a halt in front of Shisui, frowning. His head was cocked to one side. 

“I love you,” he repeated, a bit slower this time. A nervous smile crept over his face, but his heart hammered at Itachi’s expression of anguished surprise. 

“You don’t mean that,” Itachi whispered softly, shaking his head. 

“Sure I do.” Shisui was taken aback. “What’s the problem?” Itachi looked away sharply. 

“That’s not a burden you need to bear.” His pale face was flushed red and shining with sweat. 

“How would that be a burden?” Shisui furrowed his eyebrows and tucked his hands into his pockets. All around them was darkness, save for a few street lamps that illuminated the ice like spotlights on a stage. It almost _felt_ like an act. 

“It is. I can’t have you carry that weight.” 

“I think you’re forgetting how strong I am.” The corners of Shisui’s mouth twitched slightly despite the tension in the air. 

“Shisui, please. I’m serious.” 

“I am too. Loving wasn’t meant to be easy or painless or perfect, but you put in the work and it can be,” he said pointedly. 

“Why bother?” Itachi whispered, shrugging his shoulders. Shisui laughed humorlessly. “Why put yourself through all that just for me?” 

“What, you’re not willing to put the work in for me?” 

“No, I’m saying I’m too hard to love!” Itachi yelled desperately, pointing a gloved finger at his chest. 

“Why? Tell me why!” Itachi didn’t say anything. Shisui’s voice softened. “What did you think was going to happen? We’ve been dating for months.” 

“I think,” Itachi began quietly, “you fell in love with an illusion.” 

“An illusion,” Shisui echoed. 

“I’m not this well put-together person you thought I was.” He looked up at Shisui with wide eyes, dappled with pinpricks of light. “I’m just…a burden.” 

“No, you’re not,” Shisui said exasperatedly. “If I had fallen in love with a fantasy, we wouldn’t still be here. And I will choose my own fucking burdens.” Itachi’s gaze fell. “Do you not love me?” Shisui asked softly. 

“I need time, Shisui. I’m sorry.” 

“I can wait.” He reached for Itachi’s hands. “What is it that you’re scared of?” 

“I’m not scared,” Itachi said flatly, drawing his hands away. His face hardened. 

“I think you are.” Shisui was prying, he knew, but he also knew there was more to this. Itachi turned and began skating away towards the bank. 

“I’m not scared,” he murmured again, more to himself than to Shisui. The truth was, he _was_ scared. Of what, he couldn’t admit. 

“Itachi, wait!” Shisui yelled, hurrying after him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed.” 

“I should get home anyways.” Itachi’s voice was hollow and he kept his gaze straight ahead as they trudged through the snow back towards the house. 

“Can we talk about this?” 

“Not right now. I’m sorry.” The cold seemed to close in around Itachi like an impenetrable suit of armor. It had always been a horribly comforting feeling; safety in exchange for a myriad of wonderful emotions that would inevitably cloud his better judgement. No, safety was much more valuable. Having control was worth more than a lifetime of heartwarming moments. At least, that’s what Itachi told himself. It wasn’t as hard to give up on something he rarely felt as it was to break open and let the tides rage. 

He unlocked his car and glanced over at Shisui as he pulled the door open. A slight pang, the gentle touch of a phantom warmth, seemed to press into the iciness around him at the sight of Shisui standing there, his eyes twinkling sadly and the corners of his mouth drooping downwards. He got in the car and slammed the door shut, cursing himself. For always marring things, losing himself in a rare moment and letting his blight taint another lily-white soul. 

Sleeplessness was an almost nightly occurrence for Itachi. Not wanting to face the emptiness of his own apartment, he sat in his car in the parking lot with his feet on the dashboard until the cold numbed his restless fingers and overactive mind into a brief moment of rest. 

The following morning, he dragged himself upstairs in a heavy fog and made a pot of black coffee, brushing off his roommates’ concerned remarks. 

“You know, you’re always welcome to share my bed if you’re ever feeling…restless,” Hidan offered with a smirk. Itachi fixed him with a heavy-lidded stare before retreating to his own room, locking the door behind him. He pulled out his phone and opened his chat with Shisui. 

“Shit,” he whispered, pushing his glasses up on his forehead and rubbing his eyes harshly. 

_Morning,_ he typed. Several anxious minutes full of impatient foot tapping passed before the screen lit up with Shisui’s reply. 

_Hey._ Itachi chewed his lip nervously, fingers hovering over the keyboard before he responded. 

_Let’s talk. Can I meet you somewhere?_


	4. Fireflies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a panic attack in this chapter, just so you all know.

_But I need you more than anyone._

~

_July_

“Good evening, gentlemen. Table for two?” The doorbell rang softly as they stepped inside the cozy little restaurant. 

“Yes, thank you,” Shisui replied, and they were led to a small booth near the entrance. It had been well over a month since the two of them had gone out. With Itachi’s cramped skating schedule and Shisui’s new job, nearly every spare moment they had together was spent lying on the couch. Tonight, however, they had set aside for a more proper date. 

A waitress set two glasses of water down on the table. Itachi glanced up and thanked her. Shisui was quite absorbed in the menu, studying the contents of each dish as if his life depended on what kind of soup he ordered. He didn’t notice how Itachi’s eyes widened or his face drained of color as he looked across the room. 

“Are you gentlemen ready to order?” The waitress pulled a notepad and pen from her apron. Itachi reached for his glass of water with trembling hands and spilled about half of it over the table. 

“I’m very sorry.” He frantically unfolded his napkin and wiped it across the table while the waitress hurried off to fetch a roll of paper towels. Shisui set his menu down. 

“No worries. Are you okay? You’re shaking.” Itachi avoided his concerned gaze and began scrubbing the table faster, sending ice cubes flying. His heart was hammering and sweat began to bead on his forehead. 

“I’m fine,” he said shakily. 

“You don’t look fine. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Shisui placed his hands atop Itachi’s to stop his fervent rubbing. Itachi refused to meet Shisui’s gaze, his own eyes darting around the table, searching for random objects. _Napkin, water, straw, chopsticks, soy sauce._

“Itachi, answer me.” His hands trembled beneath Shisui’s, but he was listening for other sounds. _Voices, footsteps, doorbell, ice._ His breathing was shallow. _It’s not working, not working._

“Okay, let’s go. You don’t look well.” Shisui scooted towards the edge of the booth and stood up. 

“No, no, I’m okay.” Much as he wanted to, he couldn’t leave now. He’d be noticed. Itachi placed his hands on either side of his forehead and struggled to take a deep breath despite the tension in his throat. _Cologne, tea, burning candles. Hold for seven._ Shisui sat back down slowly. He was at a loss. Itachi had never lost control like this. _Taste. Taste. Two things I can taste,_ Itachi thought to himself frantically, eyes squeezed shut. His mouth tasted like paper and was just as dry. That ought to count for something. _Out for eight._ The waitress returned with paper towels. Shisui thanked her and began wiping up the remaining water, watching as Itachi mouthed words to himself silently. _In for four. Hold for seven._

“Do you gentlemen need another minute to decide?” Itachi’s eyes opened, immediately flitting to the corner of the room. A man at another table stood up and headed to the restroom. _One reason, one reason._ If he was going to get out, he had to get out now. _One reason._ It was no use. He hurried for the door, staggering a bit as the room spun around him. A tingling sensation began to spread through his hands and feet. 

“Excuse me.” Shisui rushed out after him, leaving the bewildered waitress behind. 

“Itachi, what is going on?” Shisui crouched down on the pavement beside Itachi, who was sitting with his head between his knees, heaving deep breaths in and out. Leaving the restaurant seemed to have eased the worst of his suffering, but he still didn’t reply. _One reason._ Itachi racked his brain. 

“I’m going to take you home.” Shisui reached out and took his hand. 

“No!” He cried, trying and failing to hide the fear in his voice as he pulled his hand away. “No, I just need to walk around a bit. You go, I’ll be okay.” Shisui’s eyes widened. 

“I’m not leaving you by yourself right now.” 

“I’m fine,” Itachi protested, but his voice shook. He wrapped his arms around himself, still trying to fulfill that final criteria although his panic was winding down by now, sapping his energy along with it. 

“Would a hug help?” 

“Not now.” Itachi shook his head rapidly and shrunk back against the brick wall, as if afraid his words would be ignored. It wouldn’t be the first time. Thankfully though, Shisui had always listened. 

“Do you need to go home?” 

“Later.” Itachi rested his head against his knees, arms still wrapped around himself protectively. Shisui sat back down beside him, looking out at the dark windows of the shops around them. Orange light from nearby lamps shone on the cobblestone street, still damp from the afternoon rain. After a moment, Shisui began humming softly to himself. 

_“You never call, baby, when you say you will, but I love you still,”_ he sang quietly, tapping his feet a bit for accompaniment. 

“That’s a good song,” Itachi murmured thickly. Exhaustion and a feeling of hollow emptiness were quickly setting in. Shisui gave him a warm smile. 

_“I need you, more than anyone darling, you know that I have from the start.”_ Itachi rested his head gently on Shisui’s shoulder, reminding himself that things were different this time. 

“The fireflies are out,” Shisui pointed out as a few small lights flickered off and on, floating through the air. Itachi hummed softly in response, his eyes following the glowing insects as they bobbed around. “Are you feeling better?” 

“Kind of.” Itachi didn’t elaborate. “Tired. I’m sorry.” 

“For what?” 

“Being this way,” he said softly as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the brick wall. Shisui stared at Itachi wordlessly. He wanted to hold him and tell him how much he loved him until his vocabulary was exhausted, and keep holding him afterwards because no words could ever be enough. But his voice caught in his throat and all his thoughts vanished. 

“Don’t—don’t be,” was all he could manage. Itachi didn’t respond. “Do you want me to drop you off?” He offered a third time. 

“Can we get food first?” His voice was hollow. 

“Sure.” Shisui stood up, taking Itachi’s extended hand and squeezing it gently. _One reason,_ Itachi thought again. Why was he still searching for one? His panic had ceased by now. 

On the way home, they stopped at a drive-thru, both of them too tired to go through the whole dine-in process again. As they drove off in silence with a bag full of salty fried foods, endless thoughts continued running through Itachi’s already overexerted mind. _One reason that I know I’m safe. One reason._ He kept coming back to that last unfulfilled requisite. Shisui pulled into the parking lot of Itachi’s apartment. 

“Thank you.” The color had returned to Itachi’s voice. “For everything. I’m sorry. I know we had a nice night planned.” 

“Don’t apologize. There will be plenty more in the future. Just take care of yourself.” Shisui gave him a gentle, almost sympathetic smile. “You sure you don’t want me to keep you company for a while? Are your roommates here?” 

“Sasori will be up. Hidan’s probably out, which is for the best. I’ll be alright.” Itachi smiled and hurried out of the car without their usual goodnight kiss. He was still feeling a bit skittish. As he reached the stairs, he glanced back for a moment. For years, he’d refused to let anyone get this close to him. It felt too dangerous. But the barrier around him had been slowly cracking over the past several months, and he realized now why he’d danced around that last detail for so long. He was afraid of admitting it to himself. _One reason: Shisui._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no business being this much of a hopeless romantic, but here we are. There WILL be porn in the next chapter finally, so stay tuned for that. And Itachi will get a short break from all the suffering I put him through. Thanks for reading :)


End file.
